1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to tracking systems. More specifically, the present invention relates to an optical tracking system which is computer controlled and which is adapted for use on board an airborne platform such as aircraft, helicopter or the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the past optical tracking systems have been extensively used for acquiring, locating, and tracking objects of interest from an airborne platform. For example, in tracking the movement of illegal drugs via an airborne vehicle, such as helicopter 37 of FIG. 2, or a land based vehicle from the air, an optical tracking system on board a helicopter can be extremely useful in that it continually provides updated information as to the movement, direction and location of the vehicle. By accurately identifying the movement, direction and location of the vehicle to law enforcement personnel on the ground an arrest can be made without undue endangerment to the individuals making the arrest.
An airborne optical tracking system can also be extremely useful in tracking illegal aliens entering the United States across its many borders which cover several hundred miles of rugged terrain and which are not easily accessible by land. Other uses for an airborne optical tracking system include search and rescue missions at sea and on land where the terrain is very rugged.
Generally, an optical tracking system for an airborne platform utilizing video cameras is referred to as an Airborne Video Tracking System (AVTS). These Airborne Video Tracking Systems are often manually controlled by either the pilot of the aircraft or a crew member. However, optical tracking systems which are manually controlled often lack the ability to quickly acquire a target. In addition, the manually controlled airborne optical tracking systems are generally unable to steer the optics to point to a specific latitude and longitude for the target in a rapid response time or to slave the optics of the optical tracking system with another tracking system and thereby follow the other tracking system. Such a tracking system may be an acquisition sight tracking system or an infrared or radar tracking system.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an airborne tracking system which allows for the immediate acquisition of a target of interest by the user of the system.
It is another object of the present invention to provide instantaneous location including longitude and latitude coordinates for the target of interest.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an airborne optical tracking system which may slaved with another tracking system so as to follow the other tracking system.
Various other advantages and objectives of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art by the detailed description of the invention and its preferred embodiments.